The Ultimate Tabletop RPG Quiz

A pile of polyhedral dice, a pencil and some paper, a stack of gaming books and a table surrounded by friends — there's nothing quite like a tabletop role-playing game. Make a Knowledge (RPGs) skill check and see how you do on this RPG quiz.

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Question 1 of 30

This cyberpunk RPG blends magic and fantasy with advanced weaponry and complex computer systems, so you might have an ork hacker and an elf with submachine guns battling a dragon who owns a giant corporation.

"Top Secret"

"Shadowrun"

"Shadowrun" was first published in 1989 and is currently on its fifth edition.

"Deadlands"

Question 2 of 30

Some of the science-fictional aspects of the earlier "Shadowrun" editions have been surpassed by real-world technology. Before wireless technology existed in "Shadowrun," how did hackers connect to the Matrix?

A physical neural interface was required, which was usually a datajack implanted in the hacker's head.

The wireless network in your home is vastly more powerful than things that seemed like sci-fi in 1989, when hackers had to plug in to a direct neural interface. We still don’t have elves or dragons though.

A technomage had to be present to cast a spell that sent the hacker's astral self into the Matrix.

Only hackers who'd had their consciousness uploaded into a robotic body could connect to the Matrix.

Question 3 of 30

An RPG published by West End Games in the 1980s and 90s established much of the canonical information in the Expanded Universe of what science fiction franchise?

"Farscape"

"Star Trek"

"Star Wars"

West End Games worked with Lucasfilm to define various aspects of the "Star Wars" universe that didn't appear in the movies. They're all just Legends now, though.

Question 4 of 30

The acclaimed D6 system West End Games used for their "Star Wars" RPG originally appeared in what other licensed game (here's a hint: no lightsabers, but plenty of proton packs)?

"The Last Starfighter"

"Ghostbusters"

The D6 system debuted with the "Ghostbusters" RPG, which was only in print for a few years. Strangely, no one's ever made an official "Back to the Future" RPG.

"Back to the Future"

Question 5 of 30

"Dungeons & Dragons" was the first tabletop RPG, and its success inspired quite a few similar games. What game, also released in the 1970s, duplicated the "Dungeons & Dragons" name but swapped in a different underground structure and monster?

"Tunnels & Trolls"

"Tunnels & Trolls" was the second RPG ever published — it aimed to be less complicated than D&D.

"Caverns & Catoblepas"

"Basements & Banshees"

Question 6 of 30

The first post-apocalyptic RPG was set in a world seeded with barely functioning technology and some very, very strange mutants (bears with laser eyes!). What was it called?

"Paranoia"

"Gamma World"

"Gamma World" can be run as a fairly serious "grim future" game, but, depending on the edition, it also works as a bizzaro surreal comedy game.

"Rifts"

Question 7 of 30

What current RPG, produced by Monte Cook Games, takes the idea of the inhabitants of a far-future Earth encountering advanced technology they don’t understand and molds it into a science-fantasy setting called the Ninth World?

"Numenera"

The "Numenera" Kickstarter campaign raised over $500,000, a record for tabletop RPGs at the time.

"Torment"

"Savage Worlds"

Question 8 of 30

Plenty of tabletop RPGs have explored H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos, but the first to do it was what game, originally published by Chaosium in 1981?

"Call of Cthulhu"

"Call of Cthulhu" shifted the focus from combat to investigation, and from heroics to almost certain insanity and death.

"The Stars Are Wrong"

"Cults & Cthulhus"

Question 9 of 30

In the "Night's Black Agents" RPG, the players are special agents fighting against a worldwide conspiracy orchestrated by what supernatural creatures?

ghosts

vampires

Vampires make for very compelling antagonists in the international espionage genre.

werewolves

Question 10 of 30

What RPG allows players to take on the roles of vampires vying for political advantage in a setting that's a dark mirror of the modern world?

"Vampire: the Masquerade"

If you were playing "Vampire: the Masquerade" in the 90s, you pretty much had to own a black trench coat.

"Kult"

"Bury Me in Black"

Question 11 of 30

All of White Wolf's "monsters as protagonists" RPGs took place in the same universe. What was it called?

the Twilight Convocation

the Penumbra

the World of Darkness

"Vampire," "Werewolf," "Mage" etc. took place in the World of Darkness.

Question 12 of 30

M.A.R. Barker, known as "the American Tolkien," created one of the earliest RPGs, and one of the first to emphasize storytelling and role-playing over tactical combat. What was it called?

"Empire of the Petal Throne"

"Empire of the Petal Throne" was set in Tékumel, a fantasy realm Barker had spent years detailing and creating languages for well before tabletop RPGs even existed.

"RuneQuest"

"RoleMaster"

Question 13 of 30

The first RPG set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth was…

"Rings & Wraiths"

"The Fellowship"

"Middle-earth Role Playing"

"Middle-earth Role Playing" (MERP) was first published in 1984 — the "Lord of the Rings" license was probably a lot less expensive back then.

Question 14 of 30

"Rolemaster," the RPG the MERP rules were based on, used what distinctive naming scheme for its sourcebooks?

Each book was a kind of "law," such as "Arms Law & Claw Law," "Character Law" and "Spell Law."

The "law" books were reissued as boxed sets, hardcovers and in new editions several times. They were originally published as modular rule sets that could replace aspects of the "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" rules.

Each book was named after a Roman emperor, such as "The Marcus Aurelius Book of Tactical Combat."

Each book was named for a medieval weapon, such as "Battleaxe: the Book of War" and "Rapier: the Book of Intrigue."

Question 15 of 30

Which edition of "Dungeons & Dragons" replaced previous rules systems with class-specific powers that mimicked the way abilities function in online RPGs?

third

fifth

fourth

The fourth edition of D&D diverged so much from prior editions that it was highly polarizing among RPG players.

Question 16 of 30

"Pathfinder" is a best-selling RPG that's actually based on an earlier edition of what other RPG?

"Hackmaster"

"Dungeons & Dragons"

"Pathfinder" is derived from the third edition of D&D, which is possible because that edition was published under an open license, sort of like open source software.

"GURPS"

Question 17 of 30

In "Paranoia," which takes place inside a domed city run by The Computer, what happens when a player is killed?

The corpse is converted into a nutrient broth that is fed to the worker drones.

He or she is immediately replaced by a clone.

Each player in a "Paranoia" game gets a six-pack of clones. If you have too many clones left at the end of the game, you didn’t have enough fun.

He or she is resurrected, but then acts as an agent of The Computer.

Question 18 of 30

One of the first zombie apocalypse RPGs was "All [blank] Must Be Eaten." What goes in the blank?

flesh

"All Flesh Must Be Eaten" would also make a pretty good name for a metal band.

brains

life

Question 19 of 30

"Dread" is a horror RPG that uses a unique and innovative task resolution system instead of rolling dice. What is it?

Players must pull a brick from a "Jenga" tower without knocking the tower over to succeed at a task.

The "Jenga" mechanic in "Dread" is remarkably effective. Those other two mechanics are better suited for "All Fun & Games Til Someone Loses an Eye: the RPG" and "You're a Sadistic Jerk: the Game."

Players literally throw coins at each other to determine if an attack hits or misses.

Players place a device like a small mousetrap on his or her finger and must endure a certain number of turns of the key (which increases tension on the device) to succeed.

Question 20 of 30

The first licensed Marvel RPG was TSR's "Marvel Super Heroes." It used a colorful chart and a set of abilities known as…

"Mutants & Masterminds" is yet another RPG derived from the third edition of D&D's open gaming license.

"Capes & Cowls"

Question 22 of 30

The "A Song of Ice and Fire" RPG, based on the series of novels by George R.R. Martin, includes a very detailed chart focused on what?

creating the coat of arms for your custom Westeros noble house

One of the highlights of the "ASoIaF" RPG is the ability create your own noble house, including all the family members, family history, colors and coat of arms.

all the gruesome ways your character is going to be killed

dragon anatomy

Question 23 of 30

The first two books in Fantasy Flight Games' "Star Wars" RPG line are "Edge of Empire and "Age of Rebellion." What's the name of the third book?

"Scum and Villainy"

"Sith and Jedi"

"Force and Destiny"

Each book is focused on a different aspect of the "Star Wars" universe. "Force and Destiny" covers the mystical powers of Force users.

Question 24 of 30

The "Savage Worlds" RPG doesn’t use dice to determine initiative order in combat. What does it use instead?

a deck of standard playing cards with the jokers included

The "Savage Worlds" playing card initiative system is fast and flexible — drawing a joker gives that player a bonus and the opportunity to interrupt the turn order whenever they like.

a bidding system, using points accrued from earlier combats

initiative simply passes around the table to the GM's left

Question 25 of 30

The "Achtung! Cthulhu" RPG combines Lovecraftian horrors with what setting?

World War II

In "Achtung! Cthulhu," players take on the roles of Allied agents battling World War II Nazis who are trying to unleash otherdimensional horrors upon the world.

the Cold War

the Age of Discovery

Question 26 of 30

What does "GURPS" stand for?

Generic Universal RolePlaying System

"GURPS" was one of the earliest RPGs that attempted to use one set of rules for many genres and settings, making it generic and universal.

Generating Unique Realistic Player Statistics

Gerry's Ultimate Random Power Selector

Question 27 of 30

"Fiasco" is an RPG in which the players act out what type of film?

"heist gone wrong"

The players in "Fiasco" are part of a heist or caper that goes completely off the rails.

"romantic comedy"

"Mafia drama"

Question 28 of 30

"Monsterhearts" puts the players in the roles of teenage creatures dealing with high school problems. Unlike most RPGs, it has extensive rules dedicated to what aspect of teenage life?

drug and alcohol use

sex and sexuality

"Monsterhearts" characters all have "sex moves" and can roll dice to turn another character on. Rather than being exploitive, the game allows players to explore and understand non-standard sexuality within the context of an RPG (with monsters as metaphors).

passing standardized tests

Question 29 of 30

This 2005 RPG stands apart from many other fantasy RPGs with its focus on romantic fantasy rather than sword and sorcery and for being inclusive of queer characters.

"Winds of Fate"

"Blue Rose"

The True20 rules system used by "Blue Rose" is highly regarded.

"Book of Night with Moon"

Question 30 of 30

"BattleTech" is a tactical miniatures game involving giant robots fighting wars in the distant future. What is the name of the RPG about the pilots of these robots?